The Lion in Winter is a play by James Goldman that was made into a film in 1968 starring Richard Harris as English King Henry II and, most memorably, Katherine Hepburn as his estranged wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. The play was set in the twelfth century during the Christmas season, and the titular “lion” was … Read more
Growing up in the wilds of western New York State, crape myrtles were as foreign to me as winters without snow. I had a vague notion that they were nearly as important in the South, as camellias, but even northeastern greenhouses that were chock full of winter-flowering camellias were devoid of crape myrtle. I was … Read more
A few weeks ago, I vowed that if I had an arboretum, I would include Japanese stewartia, for its beautiful, camellia-like flowers. As is often the case, a stewartia popped up in front of me just a few days later. Despite the recent infernal temperatures, it was not a heat-induced mirage. I was on a … Read more
The late Joan Rivers often started comic riffs with the words, “Can we talk?” It’s time to follow her lead and talk about getting through the winter. Some of us give thanks when hard frosts arrive, because we can take a well-deserved break from garden chores. We tend our houseplants, decorate for the holidays and … Read more
